San Diego, CA (The Hollywood Times) 7/26/26 – Audible turned some of its most popular audio series into live experiences Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con, attracting standing-room-only audiences for panels featuring Dungeon Crawler Carl and Heads Will Roll.
The company also welcomed fans to its interactive “Level Up Lounge” in the Gaslamp District, while a Princess Donut-themed food truck and costumed Carl characters brought additional surprises to Comic-Con attendees throughout downtown San Diego.
During the official Dungeon Crawler Carl panel, New York Times bestselling author Matt Dinniman joined audiobook narrator Jeff Hays for a lively conversation about the growing LitRPG phenomenon, the creative process behind the series and some of the unexpected moments that occur during production.
Hays recently announced that he will voice the fan-favorite character Princess Donut in Peacock and Fuzzy Door’s upcoming live-action television adaptation. He also gave the Comic-Con audience an advance reading from the next book in the series, earning an enthusiastic response from the packed room.
Dinniman joked about creating increasingly difficult material for the narrator, saying, “I’m always testing Jeff’s limits… it’s great for me.”
Hays explained that his goal is to make listeners feel completely immersed in the story.
“It’s my job to bring the characters to life,” he said. “It’s my job to make you forget that you’re listening to the audio and make you think that you’re actually there with the characters.”
Later, sisters and co-creators Kate McKinnon and Emily Lynne took the stage for Audible’s Heads Will Roll panel. The pair entertained the capacity crowd as they discussed turning their shared comedic style into a successful medieval audio comedy.
McKinnon recalled how important the casting process was to the development of the series, particularly when it came to securing Richard Kind.
“The entire series sort of hinged on us being able to get Richard Kind, and we wrote it for him,” McKinnon said.
She also described creating a Bruce Springsteen-inspired power ballad and finding the ideal performer in Adam Pascal.
“We needed someone with the most power,” she said. “Adam Pascal came in, and it was just so beautiful.”
Lynne revealed that the popular character Jojo was loosely inspired by one of her longtime friends.
“There’s a ditz in all of us, and Jojo is my ditz,” she said.
Following the Dungeon Crawler Carl panel, Dinniman and Hays stopped by Audible’s Level Up Lounge, an immersive gathering space inspired by Dungeon Crawler Carl and the science-fiction audiobook series Bobiverse.
The activation offered fans a chance to step inside the worlds of Audible’s biggest titles. Elsewhere in San Diego, attendees received free donut holes from the Princess Donut food truck and encountered additional Dungeon Crawler Carl-themed activities and characters.
Photos from Audible’s Level Up Lounge and the two panels are available through Getty Images, with photography by Phil Faraone for Audible. Additional images of the Princess Donut food truck and Carl cosplayers are available courtesy of Audible.
